The Debunker: Did George Washington Chop Down a Cherry Tree? It’s the most morally edifying story from American history involving a hatchet. (Distant second place: Lizzie Borden.) A six-year-old George Washington, “immoderately fond” of his new present, uses it to chop down a “beautif...
The Debunker: What Did Ralph Waldo Emerson Recommend You Invent? The poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson was a true American original. But his Transcendentalist writings have turned out to be less influential on the American mind than his famous adage "Build a better mousetrap,...
Though Santa Claus has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions; today, he is thought of mainly as an overweight, jolly man in red who is a bringer of gifts on Christmas Eve – thanks to Coca-Cola’s iconic Christmas ads. Santa has been an intrinsic part of the brand since 1931,...